the Tunnles
by superwhomerlin2000
Summary: The 10th Doctor and Rose land in a system of tunnels on a strange planet, thing. What's more is that the human research team has been plagued by strange disappearances and deaths while researching a strange mineral, a mineral that was being researched before over 75 years prior. Everyone on the team 75 years ago disappeared, along with their research. On hiatus
1. prolouge

**so, this story will probably take a while, because I am still working on my other story Two O'clock, but those dang plot bunnies wouldn't leave me alone.**

It was dark, so, so dark. The blackness was tangible. She could feel it pressing around her, she could taste it, smell it, thick and cold, she could hear it, not a sound, not really, just a, a, feeling pressing in her ears, making her feel trapped, scared. Elanri could only describe it as _dark_. She shivered, not from cold, but from something else, some sixth sense warning her. It screamed at her to run, but why, from what? She had never feared the dark, not since she was tiny, but now… now every muscle in her body was poised to run, to _get out! NOW!_ The hairs on the back of her neck and arms stood up. She smacked her torch, it had gone out. She didn't know why, it should work, it had a fresh bulb and batteries. Put in this morning, in fact. She called out for her team member, A'ana, but her voice was lost in the gloom. Elanri stepped back and immediately tripped. On her back she looked up, and her eyes widened. Something above her gleamed faintly, as though catching nonexistent light. The darkness appeared to stir, the blackness twisted, unfolded, and wound down from above. The things snake eyes flashed, it opened its jaws, it's wickedly sharp fangs shone. Elanri screamed.


	2. Chapter 1

The Doctor was racing around the TARDIS console like a mad man; the large room was filled with bright light, the buttons on the console flashed. Rose padded in sleepily, and paused by the entrance to watch The Doctor's ridiculous antics. He glanced up at her and grinned brightly, his wild, dark eyes flashed warmly. Rose grinned back and trotted over, her footsteps muffled by her fuzzy slippers. "Hey" Rose murmured tiredly, yawning. The Doctor popped his head around the large glass column in the middle of the room and frowned at her, "why are you wearing slippers?" he asked, "because I like them," she flopped down onto the battered console room chair "and I'm completely exausted." The Doctor gave her a quizzical look. Rose smiled back at him and rubbed her eye, "so, where are we going?" she asked, "no idea" The Doctor replied cheerfully, "more fun that way" Rose's smile widened. The console room filled with the familiar wheezing of the TARDIS materializing, and then the sound subsided. Rose finished tying her sneaker and stood up. The Doctor flashed a bright smile, "we could be anywhere, any when, ever, let's find out then, shall we?" Rose ran to the doors and grinned at him, her stomach filled with the familiar butterflies she got every time before opening those doors, she grabbed the handle and pulled the door open,

"we're in a sewer." Rose looked over her shoulder, the Doctor peaked out behind her "oh, we'll that's a bit disappointing." The two of them stepped out of the TARDIS, Rose closed the door behind her.

To everyone who didn't know better, the TARDIS looked like a small blue police telephone box, a bit conspicuous, but no one ever really seemed to notice. the Doctors impossible machine was bigger on the inside, as best as Rose could tell it went on forever, and, as unbelievable as it was, his magic box was _alive_, Rose knew from personal experience the TARDIS had a soul. On top of that the tiny blue box could travel anywhere in space and time. Looking at it, even now after all this time, she was still amazed.

The tunnel was dark, and there was water on the ground, but despite that it wasn't damp. The Doctor pulled two small silver torches out of his pocket and handed her one. They turned on the torches and peered into the gloom, suddenly a scream pierced the darkness. The Doctor grinned at her and took off, Rose a half step behind.

The Doctor skidded to a halt so suddenly she almost ran into him. A woman stood in the beam of the torches, a small lamp lay by her foot, apparently she had dropped it. she was pretty, with dark wavy hair and dark eyes, and she wore a light like the kind minors where so they can have their hands free. Her hands were pressed to her mouth and her eyes huge with fear and horror, Rose followed her gaze. On the ground lay a body, Rose had seen many horrible things traveling with the Doctor, but this was pretty gruesome. The body may have once been a young woman, but now she would have been unrecognizable to anyone. Her face was completely ravaged, actually it was gone, her body was bloody and oddly twisted, her left leg dangled, hanging by a tendon, her arm was completely ripped off, it lay a few feet from the rest of her with a fingers missing, her other hand was gone altogether, and huge swaths of flesh had been gouged out, it was as though something had started to eat her. Some of the flesh was greenish, like when flesh turns red or purple from venomous snakes and spiders. On what was left of her neck was what looked like a snake bite, but many times larger. The other woman was shaking with quiet sobs. The Doctor took three steps over to her and shielded the bloody mass from view. The woman looked up at him, eyes shining with tears. The Doctor blinked from the light on her head and reached forward, turning it off. Rose approached slowly, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. The two of them guided her away, Rose paused and looked behind her, she could have sworn she heard something, like a snake.

The young woman lifted her arm to her lips, and pressed the small button on what appeared to be a watch, but Rose assumed it was a communicator, "I found her" she whispered, "Officer Elanri Salium, deceased, cause unknown." "Both of them?" a voice crackled on the receiver, "same way?" "No, but some of the flesh was green like A'iana's, and something else, there's two strangers down here" "what?! That's not possible. All right, rendezvous with the others, oh and bring the two of them." "right" she pressed the button and turned it to another setting. "okay rendezvous at the agreed place" "right" "okay" "alright" "on my way" "heading back now" many voices coursed one by one. The woman looked up at the Doctor and then Rose, "come" she ordered, and turned and marched away. The Doctor and Rose exchanged a look and rushed after her.

They arrived at a junction in the tunnel where five others waited, a tall blond woman, a petite red head, two sandy haired guys who looked like they were brothers, and a tall brown haired guy. All of them were young, ranging from mid-twenties to early thirties. They looked at the Doctor, startled. They nodded at the young woman but there eyes never left the two strangers before them. "Anara who are they?" asked the blond, Anara shrugged and stood by her, she raised an eyebrow at the Doctor, but the effect was ruined by her tear filled eyes. The Doctor stepped forward and stuck out his hand "hallo, I'm the Doctor, and this is Rose" the blond have him a cold look and did not return his hand shake. "well" she said , she seemed to be in charge "I'm Lanri, this is Tora" she gestured to the red head "this is Teniri and Tonetru" she gestured to the brothers who nodded at the pair when their name was called, "you've met Anara" Anara nodded, "and this is Ben" she nodded at the tall dark haired guy. "So, what are you doing down here?" The Doctor asked "we could ask you the same" countered Anara "Oh, sort of wandering, just kind of ended up here" the Doctor had begun to pace, his long coat kicked up with each step. Anara stepped forward "the captain wants us to bring them back to the ship" Lanri nodded and turned, she lifted her bulky torch and walked into the largest tunnel.

After about ten minutes the tunnel began sloping upward, after five more daylight began to filter down. They stepped out of the tunnel blinking. Rose gazed around; the first thing she noticed was the space ship. It was beautiful, a rotund spire reaching up to the pale dusk sky and ending in a sharp point, metal bars twisted gracefully around giving it a plant-like appearance. A lattice work of iron-like bars crisscrossing between them, mirror like glass panes set between it. It reminded Rose of an unopened flower bud, resting on three cylindrical engines. Scattered throughout the clearing were large tent like structures of taught white material, a small village neatly organized around a large circular tent. People milled around, some talking in groups, a few walking around with clip boards or metal tablets, the smell of cooking food and the heady scent of flowers filled the air. It was a peaceful idyllic scene; Rose found it very hard to believe such a horrible event could have happened not far below, but she had traveled with the doctor long enough to know that no matter how good it looks, terrible things still happen. The group began to break up, and eventually only Anara and Lanri were left, they seemed to be leading them to the circular tent in the center.

Lanri swept the flap back and ushered them through. A handsome black haired young man looked up from his desk. "ah" he stood and walked up to them, "Joshua Karmichal" he introduced himself, "I'm captain of this expedition, now who are you and what are you doing here" he demanded. A soft laugh sounded behind him "oh, lay off Josh" a beautiful woman wearing a white lab coat walked up. Her long black hair was held back in a sleek pony tail, and her almond shaped blue eyes sparkled warmly. Rose liked her instantly, the woman extended an elegant hand, her nails were short and round, nicely kept but unpainted, and Rose noticed she wore no jewelry "Dr. Elizabeth Karmichal, scientific director in charge of the research division of this expedition. Don't mind my big brother" she gave Joshua a playful smile, "he can be a bit rude." "I'm the Doctor" the Doctor shook her hand enthusiastically and walked past her, "I'm Rose, and talk about rude" she laughed and nodded to the doctor, who was currently riffling through the papers on the desk. Joshua rushed over to the Doctor, flushing red "who … what… wait stop!" he spluttered, snatching the papers from the doctors hands "oi!" the doctor exclaimed indignantly "gimme" he snatched the page back and swept back over to Rose and Dr. Karmichal, "fascinating" he muttered. "What?" Rose asked, peering over his shoulder. "Dr. Karmichal?" he asked, tucking the paper away before Rose could see it "yes?" "You got a lab?" she looked vaguely surprised "Never mind that, who are you and why are you here" interrupted Joshua. The Doctor gave him a peeved glare "like I said I'm the Doctor" he said pointing to himself "this is Rose" he pointed to her, "hullo" she waved slightly, "Doctor what?" Joshua asked "just the doctor, now" he turned back to Dr. Karmichal "where's the lab" "why?" she asked. He pulled something from his pocket; it looked like a shining black scale, a smooth, thick triangle with two curved edges. "Where'd you get that" Rose asked, amazed. "Picked it up in the tunnels." He replied "what is it?" she asked "dunno, that's why I need a lab. We could always go back to the TARDIS, but I'm not too keen to go back into the tunnels before we know what were up against." Rose shuddered, remembering the disemboweled woman. Dr. Karmichal nodded and walked out of the tent, the Doctor and Rose a step behind, leaving Joshua looking very confused and irritated. "so" Rose asked as they hurried after Dr. Karmichal "what's so fascinating about that paper" he leaned his head toward her "the first people here crashed by accident, that was the record of what they found" he explained "one of them was a scientist, well you know scientist, can't help themselves-" "Bit like you then" he flashed her a grin "anyway, they found some very interesting stuff." "Like what?" "Well for starters, an unknown mineral was found, as well as strange plant and animal life, but new planet, not exactly unusual. It's the mineral that really gets me, michalite; they named it after Richard Karmichal, Josh and Elizabeth's great uncle, ooh, about 75 years ago. Weird thing is less than a year after returning to earth him and his entire team of scientists just disappeared, along with half their notes." "huh" she frowned. "Here we are" Dr. Karmichal called, and slipped into another tent. Inside was a neat lab, three young people sat inside, a young woman with short brown hair sat looking into a microscope, another girl with the same color hair, falling in a braid to her waist, was digging through a cabinet on the wall, the third a young man with light blond hair who was staring at something in a box, and then scribbling furiously on a clip board, all of them wore lab coats. "All right Sabrina?" asked Dr. Karmichal, crossing to the short haired woman using the microscope. She glanced up and smiled, it froze on her pretty face, "who are they?" she asked. "I'm the doctor this is Rose" the Doctor said, sounding bored, "seriously, how many more times do I have to say that?" he muttered he to Rose. She gave him and amused smile. "So what have you found?" Elizabeth asked, "some pretty unusual things actually." replied the woman, Sabrina. "its not like anything from earth, or anywhere else that we know of-" "Sorry," interupted the Doctor, "what exactley are you analyzing?" Sabrina blinked, "um, a sample of michalite we found in the caves." "huh, mind if I take a look?" Sabrina glanced at Elizabeth uncertainly, she gestured for the Doctor to go ahead. He pulled out his glasess and peered into the microscope, "Oh, but thats fascinating!" he exlaimed. "Um, what exactely, is fascintating?" Elizabeth inquired, "mm?oh, i've never seen anything like it before" the Doctor answered, stuffing his hands in his trench coat pocket and beaming like a child at Christmas, "I love new things!" He sighed, a strange, familiar tone in his voice, partly delighted, and slightly amused. His bright brown gaze fixed on Elizabeth, alight with joy and fascination. "can I see the results of all your tests?" he asked, positively beaming. She blinked rapidly "this way, to my office" she led them through a heavy plastic flap at the back into another room, this one filled with computers, high-tech microscope like things, and other strange devices. past that, through another flap, was her office. Actualy, it was more a cross between a library and a lab. Floor to cealing shelves and glass cases linded the walls, the more typical shelves held books of every description. The locked glass cases, reminding Rose of trophy desplay boxes, held samples of rocks, plants, insects and other things, as well as another microsecope (how many of those does one lab need anyway?) making Rose think of the cases in science museums. Books litered the cosey office, piled high on the two chairs in the room, and surounding Elizabeth's comuter. the only furniture free of books was Elizabeths desk chair and a wheeled metal table against the one free wall, the one with the door. a sky-light let in the bright rays of the sun. Elizabeth was talking "technicaly this place isn't a planet" explained Elizabeth, "its to small and the orbit is very strange, but it never strays to far from its sun, named Matilda, after my great uncle's still-born daughter." Rose frowned, _well, thats a bit depressing _she thought. "In fact we don't know what this place really is, it's not like anything we've encountered before." The Doctor didn't seem to be paying attention anymore, "Elizabeth, sorry, but did you make this clearing?" He asked. Elizabeth glanced at him, looking confused. "no, it was already here, that and it's proximity to the caves made it the perfect place to camp." "do all the enterances have clearings?" She frowned "well, yes, but-" "and you never wondered why?" "well, actually-," she began, flustered. the Doctor groaned, "oh, Liz, I thought you were a scientist." Elizabeth looked slightly offended by that. Rose glared at the Doctor. "I am-" "then why didn't you ask? thats your job isn't it, to ask questions." Elizabeth blinked rapidly, "well yes, it is." "then why? why didn't you ask, hmm? arent you curious as to _why_, why are the clearings here, why are they in front of the tunnel entrances" he paused for a quick breath and asked suddenly "are there any clearings here aside from these?" she frowned "no, there aren't, and for your information Doctor" she snapped " I _did_ ask. frankly it bugged the heck out of me, but that wasn't _my _choice. I tried to make Josh listen, but he didn't want to hear it, it saved valuable time, money, and most importantly, risk. As far as he was concerned if it avoided risking his crew it was worth it, despite what a few science geeks thought!" she sighed and sat down once again. "I was convinced we should wait and do some more tests, but he didn't bother." she looked at the Doctor, "look, my brother is a good man, but he has a tendency to rush into things, to take them at surface value. If at first glance it appears to be less dangerous then he will pick that path. Usually that's fine, I mean its not the New Cathbad incident, he does check to make sure any sort of structure or plan is sound, that's the whole point, he does whatever he can to make sure no one is hurt, but this time..." she trailed off. "what?" Rose asked gently. "this time it didn't work." she looked up, blue eyes shining desperately, "People are dying," she nearly sobbed, the Doctor had the decency to look apologetic, gently he asked "when was the first death?" Elizabeth took a deep breath, "same night we landed, so a little over one year ago." "sorry," Rose interjected " that's one, Earth, year, yeah?" Elizabeth nodded, " we all thought it was an accident," she continued "E.B., a 29 year old rookie, disappeared, we never found her, just her headlight by a waterfall. But it _kept_ happening," she murmured " nothing for about a month, then Mattimeo(Mat-uh-may-oh) and Amita, his girlfriend, disappeared. Mattimeo I could understand I suppose, he always jumped in head first, never stopping to _think_, but Amita" she shook her head, "the girl was going places, she was brilliant, levelheaded and sensible, that was when I knew something was up, Matt was a tough boy, he could handle himself in a fight extremely well, and he was armed with a tranq gun if he would ever need it. He was part of security" she explained "and Amita, well she had been working with my team for years, the girl could get herself out of a full lockdown prison with a paperclip, some copper wire, and putty if need be." A spark of humor flickered in Elizabeth's eyes, "and no, I am not exaggerating, believe me." She looked away, "and it didn't stop, it kept getting more and more frequent, and then we started finding the bodies." she shuddered. "deep in the caves, but it's still getting worse, whatever it is, its getting braver, taking people in broad daylight, leaving its victims in shallower and shallower parts of the tunnels," She looked up at the Doctor and Rose with teary eyes, "like it's taunting us, and I have no idea _what TO __**DO!**_" she cried, and put her head on her arms. "I-I'm sorry," she murmured shakily, "it's just, these people are my friends, and I fell so helpless." "I'm sorry," Rose spoke up "this may sound callous but, why don't you leave?" she asked softly, "I wish we could." Elizabeth sighed tiredly for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "At first the board," noticing Roses slightly confused expression she explained "Josh is in charge here, but he doesn't make _all _the decisions, we have a team back home who give their 'opinion'. Anyway, they didn't like it, it would 'cost to much money'" Elizabeth sneered, "hah" she huffed bitterly, "but when we finally convinced them someone," "or some_thing_" muttered the Doctor ominously, "had tampered with the engines," she leaned back, "we're stuck." "So, to recap, you're stuck in space on a planet that isn't a planet, with a faulty spaceship, in a suspicious clearing, with a homicidal alien, and a possible inside man, investigating a mineral that has, directly or indirectly, killed around a hundred people." the Doctor gave a lopsided grin that didn't quite reach his eyes "what could possibly go wrong?"


	3. Chapter 2

"Doctor, we came here for a reason right?" Rose prompted, "oh, yes, this, whatever it is." He brandished the sleek black triangle, "it looks like a scale." Rose frowned. "Yeah," the Doctor muttered, "thats what I thought," the exited gleam was back in his wild brown eyes "I've never seen this before. At least," he added "that I can remember." He grinned at Rose "Elizabeth, d'you have a ..." Rose blinked at the complex sounding machine the Doctor asked for, she had no idea what it was but it certainly sounded impressive. Had it not been for the fact that the TARDIS translated everything, she would have sworn he had spoken another language. Dr. Karmichal nodded wearily and pulled out a machine that looked like a cross between a microscope, a tv remote, a computer, and a microwave. the Doctor opend the compartment, hit some buttons, and looked through the eye-thingy. After a few minutes of his fiddling, and Rose and Elizabeth chatting quietly, he leaned back, looking significantly paler. "that is not good, that is extremely, very not good." "Doctor what is it, whats wrong?" Rose asked. the Doctor turned to look at her, and she was stunned to see true fear in his eyes. "we need to get out of her, right now"


	4. Chapter 3

Alarm shot through Rose. The Doctor almost never talked like that. Even when they were running for there lives he was smiling most of the time. If he said something like that, Rose knew he thought it was bad, and if he thought it was bad then it was very, very, abysmally, bad. And she was afraid.

She refused to let it show though. She travelled with the Doctor, she was stronger than that. "what do we do?" She asked calmly. He fixed her with his wild brown eyes, "I need to see the engines." Dr. Karmichal nodded and hurried away, the others following hurriedly.

* * *

The Doctor growled, frustrated "sabotage!" he announced furiously. "Can you fix it?" Rose asked. "Maybe. Elizabeth, do you have a spark plug for it?" Dr. Karmichal frowned. "Depends, which one is it for and how many do you need?"

"Five, Twelve, and Thirteen. Two for Twelve, one for section A one for C. One for Thirteen, sector E, and three for Five D, subsection one, and subsection two, and Five A, subsection two." Elizabeth bit her lip. "Five D one and two, Five A two, Twelve A, and Thirteen E I can do. Twelve C though, I can't help you with, I'm afraid." The Doctor shook his head. "You're sure?" she nodded, he sighed. "I can try.

* * *

Half an hour later the Doctor sat back from the gleaming engine, glasses on, screwdriver between his teeth. He pulled the blue tipped device from his mouth, looking angry. "I can't fix it without the other plug. Our only hope is to get the TARDIS."

"And our chances of making it are?" Rose sincerely wished Dr. Karmichal hadn't asked that, judging from the look in the Doctor's eyes she would rather not know.


End file.
